There are many devices that employ magnetic fields. Magnetic fields for these devices have usually been provided by relatively large solenoids and bulky power supplies. There have been many developments in the application of permanent magnet structures for more compactly and conveniently providing the required magnetic fields for many devices. The efforts to develop compact, strong, static magnetic field sources requiring no electrical power supplies has resulted in many permanent magnet structures of unusual form. Many of these permanent magnet structures have been developed for electron-beam guidance in millimeter or microwave tubes, for millimeter wave filters, circulators isolators, strip lines, nuclear magnetic resonance imagers, and other similar devices for which a relatively large uniform magnetic field is desired. Many of these permanent magnet structures provide a relatively high uniform magnetic field and have embodied the principles of a "magic" ring, cylinder, hemisphere, or sphere. For example, a "magic" sphere or hollow spherical flex source is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,506 issuing May 30, 1989, to Leupold and entitled "Hollow Substantially Hemispherical Permanent Magnet High Field Flux Source", which is herein incorporated by reference. Therein disclosed is a hollow hemispherical flux source which produces a uniform high magnetic field in its central cavity. In one embodiment, the hollow hemispherical flux source is comprised of a plurality of wedge shaped portions having multiple sections, with each section having a defined magnetic orientation. Similarly, a method of manufacturing a magic ring or a cylinder is disclosed in U.S. Statutory Invention Registration H591 published Mar. 7, 1989, issuing to Leupold and entitled "Method of Manufacturing of a Magic Ring" which is herein incorporated by reference. Therein disclosed is a method of making a permanent magnet cylindrical structure made from magnetically hard material which provides a relatively intense uniform magnetic field within a central working space. The cylinder is cut into sections and then opposing pairs of sections are interchanged forming the desired magnetic orientations for formation of a "magic" cylinder.
While many of these disclosed structures are beneficial and provide a desirable solution to many devices requiring a relatively high uniform magnetic field, their manufacture has proven to be difficult, time consuming, and inefficient. Therefore, there is a need for improved manufacturing methods for producing these and similar permanent magnetic structures.